Sofa-bed.



T. G. WBYB.

SOFA BED. APPLICATION FILED FEB.3,1908.

Patented June 22, 1909. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED *STATESV PATENT OFFICE. y

THEODORE dii/Erna, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO RUDOLPH nnIMnL, or cH'IoAGo,

ILLINOIs. l

SOFA-BED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented .nine 22, 15909.

To allwhom it may concern:

Beit known that I, Tnnononn G. Wnrnn, a citizen of theUnitcd States of America., and a resident of Chicago, Cook county, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sofa-Beds, of which the following is a specifica-tion.

The main objects of this invention areto provide an improved construction for sofa beds; to provide an` improved method of mounting the seat section of sofa beds so that the same can be readily and easily shifted between a normal position and a forwardly extended position; to provide an improved arrangement of the supports of the seat section whereby the rigidity of the seatsect-ion when in its extended position is assured without attent ion from the operator, and whereby the supports will be hidden at the sides of the back section when' the seat section is in its normal position and-to provide an improved system of mounting the 4seat and back sec tions of a sofa bed, together with improved mechanism connecting said seat'and back sections whereby when one is shifted by the operator the other will automatically assume` a corresponding position without further attention by the operator. These objects are accomplished by the device shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a sofa bed constructed according to this invention, the supporting frame being partly in section, to disclose the mechanism for count-erbalancing the Weight of the seat section to insure easy movement thereof. Fig. 2 is a side elevation `of the same, the supporting frame being shown in section on the line A-A of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section partly broken away, the plane of section being indicated by the line B-B of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a side ele vation, partly in section, of a modification in which the seat and back sections are independent. Fig. 5 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2, but showing the parts oi" the device in their position for use as a bed. Fig. 6 is a sectional detail, showing the method ol' attaching the mattresses to the 'seat and back sections. Fig. 7is a detail of the fastener.

In the construction shown in the drawings, the supporting frame comprises two uprlght end pieces 1 connected together by a bottom 2 and front and back rails designated 3 and 4 respectively. Partitions 5 extend across be-l Y tween the rails 3 and 4 near each end p iece 1 so as to form compartments'wit-hin vt hielt the operating mechanism is housed. The space inclosed by the bottom, partitions and rails forms a compartment in which bed clothe-s or other articles, may be stored. blocks G'bolted between the partitions 5 and the respective side pieces 1 serve as supports for the back section of the'sofa, as will hererlinafter appear.

The back section 7 of the sofa bed consists Iof a rectangular frame S having upholstery 9 on its front 'fa-ce and haying a lwoven wire bed spring 1() on its rear face. Intermediate between the spring 1()v and the upholstery 9 is a partititon 11, preferably formedy of webbing, against which bca r the springs 12 which support t-he upholstery and the bed spring 1 0. A mattress 13 is mounted upon thc hed spring and is held in position by fastening c ips, preferably of the type shown at 14 in Figs. 6 and 7. The back section 7 is hinged or otherwise suitably fulcrumed at its lower edge. In the form shown, the hinges are connected to the stationary blocks 6, and the back section 7 is arranged to be swung hetween its normal upright position and `the horizontal position in which it is represented in Fig. 5.

The seat section 16 isconstructed inra' manner similar to that of the bach section 7 and is hinged or otherwise suitably fulcrumed to swing between a normal or retracted position, as in Fig. 2, and a forwardly extended position, as in Figs. 4 and The seat section 16 is preferably hinged to sta.- tiona-ry uprights 17 bolted to the end pieces 1.l 'The-seat section 16 is provided with supports'or ylegs 18 rigidly fastened to its ends and adapted to support the same in a sub1- stantially horizontal position when extended. The supports 1S are of such shape that they will lie within the space between the end parts' 1 and the ends of the back section 7 when thc seatsection 16 is in its normal po sition, as in Ifig. i?.

The uprights 17 are notched near their upper ends to provide supporting shoulders 19 upon which the back section 7 rests when in -its horizontal position. The seat and back sections may be independent of cach other, as in Fig. 4;

Vlhen the device is constructed in its lprei ferred form, the seat section 16 and the back section 7 are connected by'suitable mechanism to cause them to swing together when A pair of lll) either of them is shifted 4between its position for use as a sofa and that for use as a bed.

. In'the. form shown, this mechanism comprises a curved link 20 pivotally connected at21 to the seat section 16 and having sliding in and slot connection with the back section 7, the latter connection comprising a pin 22 and a slot 22. The scat section'16 upright position.

is swung forward, the pin 22 slides in the slot* is rovided vwith a strap 23, by' means of which the operator may lift it from its normal position, as in Fig. 1, when shifting it to its extended position, as in Fig. 5. The back section 7-'is provided with similar straps 24, preferably at each end, by means of which it may be lifted from its lowered position to an `When the seat section 16 22 until the seat section .has been swung clear of the path of the back section. *When the p in 22 has reached the end of the slot 22, the link pulls the kback section 7 forward,

causing it to descend to its horizontal position, as 'in Fig. 5.

The weight of the back section 7 is counterbalanced by a spring 25; and the weight of the seat section 16, when in its normal or retracted position, is counterbalanced by meansof springs 26, one at each end, acting throughvlevers 27 provided with rollers 28 which ride-upon the 'end rails of the frame of the seat section 16. The tension of the springs 26 vmay be adjusted by wing nuts 29.

` The operation of the device shown is as followsz-fW'hen the sofasections are iii their erationl'ie is assisted normal positions,-that is, the position for using as a sofa, the parts of the operating mechanism will be in'the position illustrated in Figs 1 and' lf the operator wishes to extend the parts to the position for use as a bed, as in Fig. 5, he lifts the seat section 16` by nieansof the strap 23, causing it to .swing forward until it rests upon the supporting legs 18. vThe weight of the section 16 is so counterbalanced by the springs 26 that'this operation requires but slight exertion on the part of the operator. As the part 16 swings upward on its fulcrum, the links 20 slide in their connection with the back section 7 vuntil the section 16 has passed clearof the path of lthe section 7,when said'linkspull the section 7 forward. The forward inovementofthe section 7 is. partly. cou'nteractedby ,the

spring 25 s o thats'aid section falls' to its lowv ered position with an'easymovementf.

To return the parts to their osi'tion for Y use .as ,a sofa, the operator t-a es hold ofs the' sec-- n this opeither of the straps 24 and swin tion 7 to its upright position.

y the spring 2.5. ln

extended position,

this instance, t-he llinks20 again cause thel 60v After-thef..

to stand in a vertically disposed position thereon, a seat section fulcruined at its front edge and adapted to be swung lon its fulcrum so as to assume a horizontally extended position, supporting means having xed relation to said seatsection and adapt- 75.

ed to support it when in its extended position, said supporting means lbeing disposed so as to lie in a vertically disposed positionjy at the sides of said back section and rear-l ward of the front face thereof when said seat "y section is in its normally retracted position. 2. ln a sofa bed, the combination of a supporting frame, a back secti'on adapted to stand in a vertically disposed position therel on, a seat section fulcru'med at its front edge 85 and-adapted to be swung on vits fulcrum so as to assume a horizontally extended position, supporting means for said seat section when in its extended position, said supporting means being disposed so as to lie in a 90 I vertically disposed position at the sides of said back sectionl and rearward ofthe front face thereofv when said seat section is in its normally retracted position, said frame hav;

ing parts extending upwardly along each f end of said back section and spaced therevfrom to provide recesses-into which said supports may 3. ln a sofa ass. x ed, the combination of a supporting framea seat section mounted thereon and adapted to be shifted to a forwardly a back section fnlcrunied on said frame and adapted to swing forward on its fulcruni to.' a position .of horizontal aline-ment with said seat section when the latter is in its forwardly extended position, and a link pivotally connected to one of said sectionsand having sliding' connection with v the other whereby the shifting of one of said sections from one of its positions .to the other will automatically cause a corresponding-shifting of said other section.

Signed at Chicago this 1st day of February, 1908:. y

THEODORE G. YVEYER. f

Vitiiesses:

WM. R. RUMMLER, MARYl M. DILLMAN. 

